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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24779260">saw your face, heard your name / gotta get with you</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/erisphant/pseuds/erisphant'>erisphant</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Check Please! (Webcomic)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, LGBTQ Character, No Lesbians Die, Original Character(s), Songfic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:54:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,135</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24779260</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/erisphant/pseuds/erisphant</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lardo gets to know the captain of a rival hockey team (inspired by "Girls Like Girls" by Hayley Kiyoko)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Larissa "Lardo" Duan/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>saw your face, heard your name / gotta get with you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this is a songfic inspired by "girls like girls" by hayley kiyoko that i wrote like, four years ago? it was the first and only check! please fic i ever wrote and i was kind of terrified to write more than a few characters bc i'm scared of mischaracterization but, i found it and thought i should share it. i'm no longer really involved in the fandom but maybe some people can take joy from it</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Girls like girls like boys do<br/>
Nothin’ new</em>
</p>
<p>Lardo had been living in a house entirely filled with boys for about a year now, and that was approximately one year too many. </p>
<p>Most people looked at her weird when she said she was the manager of the Samwell Hockey Team-this small, Asian girl lived in a house with 10+ college boys and somehow managed to keep them in line? Well, yes she did, but mostly she thought that was because no one else could stand to put up with them.</p>
<p>She got along with them by being just as loud and obnoxious as they did. If they took shots, she took more. If they dared one of the guys to climb a tree, she climbed a taller one. She didn’t need to impress them. She just proved she was more badass than the rest of them put together. </p>
<p>But she wasn’t entirely inhuman.</p>
<p>When Shitty left, it put a dent in her tough as nails exterior. She hadn’t let anyone see her cry, except Shitty, because she had to. It had always been the two of them. Friends forever and all that. Now he was gone, and even though he promised to text and call and visit until she got sick of him, it didn’t feel right anymore. </p>
<p>It didn’t help that everyone seemed to be whispering behind her back. The boys were nice enough, and of course they were her friends, but tact wasn’t really their strong suit. </p>
<p>She knew what they were saying. They thought she and Shitty must have some secret relationship going on, some unrequited crush-and didn’t everyone? It made her stomach churn and her throat close up, not just out of disgust, but from something else too.</p>
<p>It shouldn’t have been this hard. She knew half the boys on the team were gay; Ransom and Holster were practically the perfect image of a married couple, Jack and Bittle were about as subtle as a glittery rainbow, and even some of the frogs had romantic tension. </p>
<p>But they still didn’t get it. And she couldn’t find a way to tell them. Of course Shitty had known, but now he was gone, and Lardo felt painfully alone.</p>
<p>Lardo was a closeted lesbian in a house full of college frat boys, and she was completely miserable. </p>
<p>~~</p>
<p>
  <em>Stealin’ kisses from your misses<br/>
Does it make you freak out?<br/>
Got you fussing, got you worried<br/>
Scared to let your guard down</em>
</p>
<p>It was an early game in the season. They were here early to warm up and scope out the opposing team-at least, that’s why Lardo was here. She didn’t like going in blind. She liked to zone in on these assholes and let them know what was up. A bunch of frat boys beefed up in padding didn’t scare her.</p>
<p>At least, that’s usually what she had to look at before a game.</p>
<p>These, on the other hand, were not frat boys. These were all very fit, very muscular girls, laughing and tossing each other around like ragdolls.</p>
<p>Lardo felt a familiar clench in her stomach.<em>Oh, fuck. </em> </p>
<p>“I didn’t know we had an all-girls hockey team around here.” Ransom said, scratching his head. </p>
<p>“Sick, dude.” Holster said, leaning on his hockey stick. “Chicks are, like, never into hockey!”</p>
<p>Lardo shot him a death glare. “I’m into hockey, you asshole. I’m your manager.”</p>
<p>Holster shrugged. “Yeah, but….you’re like a dude, too.”</p>
<p>Lardo continued glaring, then huffed. “Just get out on the ice and warm up before I kick your asses myself.” </p>
<p>“Right away, boss.” They saluted in unison and skated out onto the ice.</p>
<p>Lardo sighed again, settling down to watch the two teams. Sooner or later, though, she found herself just watching the opposing team. One of the girls, with the last name Chapman displayed across her back in bold letters, was clearly the leader. Dark blond braids poked out from underneath her helmet, swishing back and forth as she skated. Even from a distance, Lardo could hear her laughing and shouting with her teammates.</p>
<p>Instantly, she wanted to know her name.</p>
<p><em>Stop it,</em> Lardo scolded herself.<em>She’s a rival. Enemy territory. Off limits.</em></p>
<p>But much to her chagrin, enemy territory was currently skating towards her. </p>
<p>“Hey,” Chapman grinned widely, leaning against the side board. “What’s your name?”</p>
<p>It took Lardo’s brain a few moments to register what was happening, and then to question if she was just really desperate, or if this girl was actually flirting with her. “Uh,” She stammered, then cursed herself.<em>Stop acting so stupid.</em> “Lardo.”</p>
<p>“Lardo, huh?” She took off her helmet, shaking her braids free and-yeah, this girl was definitely flirting with her. “Name’s Chapman, but m’ friends call me Billie.” Chapman looked back at her and winked. “Saw you watching me.”</p>
<p>Lardo had to take a moment to pray to God, Mary, and Jesus because she wasn’t entirely sure she would survive this moment. “Oh.” She said, then realized how dumbstruck she sounded. “Oh, really?” She tried again, hoping she sounded less goo-goo eyed and more coy. </p>
<p>“Yeah.” Chapman rolled on, completely unfazed. “You ever come out on the ice? Or you just stay over here and ogle the players?”</p>
<p>Lardo knew she was teasing, but she felt annoyed all the same. “I don’t ‘just ogle players’. I’m their manager. It’s my job to make sure they’re warming up properly and check out the competition.”</p>
<p>“Right…” Chapman glanced over at the boys, and Lardo took a moment to curse them. They were currently goofing off and definitely not warming up. “Check out the competition...I get that.” </p>
<p>Lardo hoped she wasn’t blushing. “Skating isn’t really in my skillset. I just gotta help them out in other ways.”</p>
<p>“Right…” Chapman nodded, watching her intently. “So what is in your skillset?”</p>
<p>Lardo would’ve responded with a perfectly good comeback, except then Chapman grinned at her again, and hell, she was almost definitely blushing. She thanked the entire holy trinity when the girls yelled at their captain to get her ass back on the ice. </p>
<p>“Well, I’ll catch ya later,” Chapman said, easily skating back towards her team. “Lardo.”</p>
<p>“Chapman.” Lardo said, in what she hoped was a perfectly cold and dismissive tone. As she watched her go and turned her attention back to her own team, she knew one thing for certain.</p>
<p>She was so, so fucked.</p>
<p>~~</p>
<p>
  <em>Don’t tell me, tell me what I feel<br/>
I’m real and I don’t feel like boys</em>
</p>
<p>Lardo spent a solid 48 hours after that meeting unable to stop thinking about that hockey team’s captain.</p>
<p>She hated herself for it. Sure, she had gotten crushes before. Her best friend in third grade. Her high school English teacher. But this? This was just pathetic. All it took was a wink and a smile and she was moping around like a hormone-ridden teenager.</p>
<p>She tried everything. She tried making the boys run drills until they were spent. She tried going out with friends. She tried painting until her eyes swam with the colors. But always present in the back of her mind was that stupid grin and those stupid braids. </p>
<p>Lardo let out a frustrated sigh, throwing down her paintbrush and rubbing her face with her hands. Stupid, stupid, stupid. She needed to distract herself. Get a drink with the boys. Yeah. That would do it. They would shake her out of this. </p>
<p>She tromped down the stairs and collapsed at the kitchen table, which had been the newest chill spot since Bittle never stopped making pies. Maybe that would help. Stuff her face with pie until she couldn’t move, much less think about some captain with a charming smile.</p>
<p>“What’s up, Lardo?” Ransom asked, frowning concernedly. “You look beat.”</p>
<p>Lardo meant to come up with some excuse, but it came out as more of a grunt. What was she supposed to say?<em>Oh sorry, I’ve fallen for our opposing team’s captain. Better set me straight before I throw away everything. </em></p>
<p>Bittle looked over and frowned, setting his oven mitts aside. He always seemed to sense distress and immediately want to fix it. Like some sort of weird mom. “What’s wrong, hun? New project not working out?”</p>
<p>Lardo didn’t really need a new southern mom, but she’d accept it in the meantime. As long as she was busy rolling in her own self pity. “No. It’s going terrible.” She grumped, crossing her arms. How was she supposed to focus on a project when she was so distracted by stupid emotions all the time?</p>
<p>“Hm…” Bittle pulled out a chair to sit across from her. “Wanna talk about it?”</p>
<p>“I know what you need.” Holster announced, settling down on the table. “You need a night out on the town.”</p>
<p>Bittle frowned in his direction. “Holster, off the table.” Like a true mom.</p>
<p>Holster whined. “C’mon, mom.” When the glaring didn’t stop, he sighed and pulled out a chair. “Listen, Lardo, what you need is a rager, some tub juice, and a hook up.”</p>
<p>Lardo had serious doubts that a party would cheer her up. “Sure.” She replied glumly.</p>
<p>“I mean it!” Holster snapped his fingers. “Bro, who was that guy you met earlier? The art nerd?”</p>
<p>“Oh, yeah!” Ransom beamed like he’d just solved some great problem. “We can hook you up. You’ll love this guy, he’s really into art, but he’s such a nerd you can still push him around.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure.” Lardo crossed her feet on the table, looking away. And here it comes. </p>
<p>“Yeah!” Holster chimed in. “He’s really into women’s rights, too-uh, not that that’s a requirement or anything, but you know...it’s cool.”</p>
<p>Lardo decided to tune out the rest of what they were saying. She expected Bittle to yell at her to get her feet off the table, but when she glanced at him, he was just watching her sadly. That made her feel...well, she didn’t know how she felt? Sad? Upset? Angry?</p>
<p>Angry. She felt angry.</p>
<p>“Boys, maybe you should…” Bittle started to object quietly, but they just kept going.</p>
<p>“Five bucks says she’ll think he’s too nerdy.”</p>
<p>“Oh yeah? Ten says she’ll get his number and then break his heart.”</p>
<p>“Just shut up, you guys.” Lardo shouted, stomping her foot down on the floor. They all stopped suddenly, staring at her. Part of her wanted to shrink back and be quiet, like she always had. But the rest was tired. The rest was angry.</p>
<p>“Lardo, are you okay?” Ransom asked, brows furrowed.</p>
<p>Lardo took a deep breath. She glanced at Bittle, and he nodded, smiling encouragingly. “I’m not going to hook up with a guy.” She started, voice uncertain at first, but getting stronger as she went. “I’m not going to flirt with him, or get his number, or kiss him, or anything.” She stopped, taking another deep breath. “It doesn’t matter who he is, or what he’s into.”</p>
<p>There was a long pause. “Why’s that?” Holster asked, more gentle than she’d ever heard him.</p>
<p>“Because I…” There was no going back now. All in. “I’m not into guys.” As soon as she said it, she felt like crying from relief. </p>
<p>“Oh.” Ransom said, and there was another long pause. “Well, that’s cool. Sorry about all that, then.”</p>
<p>Lardo blinked a few times. With how loud and obnoxious the boys could be, she expected...more drama? “Really?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Holster agreed. “Now we can just find you a hot girlfriend. There’s this girl in my math class…”</p>
<p>Lardo groaned, banging her head on the table. </p>
<p>~~</p>
<p>
  <em>Always gonna steal your thunder<br/>
Watch me like a dark cloud<br/>
On the move, collectin’ numbers<br/>
Imma take your girl out</em>
</p>
<p>Lardo was absolutely furious.</p>
<p>It was game time. The score was one to one. And it hadn’t budged since the second quarter.</p>
<p>These girls were fierce. That was the only way to describe them. Her boys had managed to score one point early on, and lucky they did, because the other team was determined to not let them get anymore. The girls had scored a point in the second quarter, and now, the teams were head to head. Each one determined to keep the other from getting a lead. </p>
<p>The third quarter had been intense. Multiple times Lardo had thought her boys would make a shot. But then Chapman would swoop in, steal the puck away, and go racing across the ice.</p>
<p>Lardo had never hated her more.</p>
<p>By the end of the fourth quarter, Lardo knew neither would win. And by the end of the second overtime, the referees had ruled there would be a tie. A rematch would be scheduled at a later date.</p>
<p>Lardo could practically feel the steam coming out of her ears.</p>
<p>The boys, of course, were absolutely exhausted. “Dudes,” Holster said, practically panting as he removed his helmet. “That was intense.”</p>
<p>“Hardcore.” Ransom agreed, leaning heavily against the wall. “That Chapman girl? Unbelievable.”</p>
<p>“She’s a fucking tank.” Holster confirmed, nearly falling onto a bench.</p>
<p>Lardo had enough anger for all of them. “How are you so calm? They wiped the floor with you!”</p>
<p>“Dudes,” Nursey raised a hand. “First of all, I’m exhausted. Second of all, they played a good game. So what?” He shrugged. </p>
<p>“Agreed.” Ransom nodded. “Let’s just all ‘chill’, okay?”</p>
<p>Lardo was not chill. Lardo was far from chill. “I can’t believe this.” She muttered. </p>
<p>“Um,” Chowder started tentatively. “Maybe we could just...let this one go? I mean...there’ll be a rematch.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah,” Lardo said, her hands clenched into fists. “And if we don’t beat them then, I’ll…”</p>
<p>“Whoa, boss. Chill.”</p>
<p>Lardo turned on Nursey, and even he flinched at her glaring. “I am chill!”</p>
<p>“Okay. Okay.” Bittle emerged out of seemingly nowhere, putting himself between them. “That’s enough.” He turned to Lardo. “Lardo, is it really the end of the world if we don’t win? We tied. We’ll beat ‘em next time. That’s it.”</p>
<p>Lardo stopped, taking a few deep breaths. Bittle was right. This was stupid to get so worked up about. “Fine. You’re right. Let’s just…”</p>
<p>“Hey boys.” In an instant, all of the chill ran out of her again. Chapman had swaggered up to them, with a big shit-eating grin on her face. “Good game, huh?”</p>
<p>Lardo would’ve liked to smack her, but the boys were painfully good-natured. “Yeah. That was swawesome.” </p>
<p>She didn’t even flinch at Holster’s lingo. “Great. So no hard feelings?”</p>
<p>Bittle quickly spoke before Lardo had a chance. “None.”</p>
<p>“Nice.” Chapman grinned again. “Because I thought we could have a celebration party. I’ll bring my girls to your place and we’ll get too shitfaced to care who won.”</p>
<p>“Nobody won.” Lardo said, through grit teeth. “It was a tie.”</p>
<p>Chapman grinned at her, which just made her even more annoyed. “Sure.”</p>
<p>The boys, on the other hand, seemed delighted with the idea. “Sweet!” Ransom jumped up, apparently rejuvenated by the idea of playing beer pong with a bunch of girls who could kick his ass any day. “You know the place? Nevermind, I’ll text you the address. What’s your number?”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about it. Lardo can have my number.” Chapman said easily, and the room went quiet.</p>
<p>“Uh, I don’t think-” Lardo started, but Chapman just held her hand out expectantly.</p>
<p>“Phone?” She asked, and Lardo found herself reaching into her pocket and pulling out her phone.</p>
<p>Chapman quickly entered her number, grinning as she handed it back. “There you go. Text me the address. Or, you know, anytime you feel like it.”</p>
<p>Lardo glanced down at the screen, and saw she’d entered her contact name as ‘Billie’. “Chapman,” She started again.</p>
<p>“Billie.” Chapman corrected. “You’ve got my number now. Call me Billie.”</p>
<p>Lardo hesitated. It felt weird with everyone watching her. “Billie.” She amended.</p>
<p>“Lardo.” Chapman nodded, backing out of the room. “See you at the party.”</p>
<p>There was a long silence, before everyone seemed to start talking at once. “Oh shit,” Ransom said, as if he’d just realized something great. “Oh shit.”</p>
<p>“Oooooh,” Holster pointed at her, then at the doorway, then back at her. “Oooooh.”</p>
<p>Lardo felt her cheeks burning. “Shut up!” She shouted. </p>
<p>“Come on, you two,” Bittle said, looking as if he was trying awfully hard not to smile. “Let’s clean up.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, that’s right.” Ransom said, ducking out of the way as Lardo tried to hit him. “Someone’s got a hot date tonight.”</p>
<p>~~</p>
<p>
  <em>Saw your face, heard your name<br/>
Gotta get with you</em>
</p>
<p>Lardo wasn’t one for dressing up. But the boys insisted.</p>
<p>“You can’t just throw on a beanie tonight, Lardo.” Ransom said, looking her over. “You’ve got ladies to impress.”</p>
<p>“Yeah!” Holster added, digging through her closet. “Don’t you own a button up or something?”</p>
<p>Lardo was going to kill them after this. “Get out of my room, you assholes!” She forcibly shoved them out the door.</p>
<p>“Hey! We’re just trying to help!” They objected, before she slammed the door shut in their faces.</p>
<p>Lardo huffed, leaning against the door. When she was sure they were gone, she made her way back to the mirror.</p>
<p>Maybe they were right.</p>
<p>But she couldn’t dress up-the one ‘fancy’ item of clothing she owned was a dress, and she definitely wasn’t wearing a dress to a Haus party. She might’ve owned a few button ups, but even that seemed stupid.</p>
<p>Finally, she settled on her usual black jeans and a red flannel-which she left mostly unbuttoned over a white tank top, after deciding it looked like she was trying too hard. In the end, she still threw on a black beanie, just to piss the boys off.</p>
<p>Because fuck what they think.</p>
<p>When she came down, the party had already started, which was a relief. The last thing she needed was Ransom and Holster trying to coerce her into changing again. </p>
<p>Lardo tried not to act weird, but for the first time in a long time, she was actually nervous. Which was stupid. Why would she be nervous? It was just another party. Who cares if some other hockey captain was coming. She was going to enjoy herself and destroy the boys at beer pong.</p>
<p>And she did. She might’ve even been a touch more obnoxious than usual, just to prove that she didn’t care who was or wasn’t coming (although the boys had stolen her phone earlier on in the night, so Chapman was definitely coming) Still, it wasn’t like she cared.</p>
<p>Lardo was halfway through destroying them in another game when a chorus of cheers erupted through the Haus. She looked up to see what all the fuss was about, and also to yell at everybody to shut up, when…</p>
<p>
  <em>Holy shit.</em>
</p>
<p>The girls had arrived. And most of them looked like she expected. Jeans and jerseys and a few flannels here and there. And a couple, to her surprise, were even wearing skirts and dresses. But Chapman…</p>
<p>Lardo didn’t even recognize her at first. She looked like she could’ve been any other girl at the party, but definitely not the hockey captain she was ready to pick a fight with a few hours earlier. Her hair wasn’t in braids anymore-had it always been that long and silky?-she looked even taller than before-maybe she was wearing heels-and that dress.</p>
<p>That dress left nothing to the imagination.</p>
<p>Ransom let out a long, low whistle. She must’ve been staring like an idiot, because Holster elbowed her in the side. “At least somebody dressed up.” He was definitely teasing her, but she couldn’t find it in her to be mad.</p>
<p>“Yeah. Uh huh.” Lardo gaped for a bit longer, before Holster elbowed her again and jolted her back to reality. “I mean...shut up.”</p>
<p>They just grinned back at her. “Are you gonna go say hi or what?”</p>
<p>Lardo was about to tell them that she didn’t need to do anything, she was perfectly happy over here, when suddenly it didn’t matter anymore. Because Chapman was coming to them.</p>
<p>“Hey, what’s up?” She grinned, and it was almost like she was still in a jersey and skates. Except not quite. Not even close. “I thought you weren’t gonna text me for awhile there.”</p>
<p>“Uh...yeah.” Lardo stammered, partly because she couldn’t find a way to say that it had actually been the boys stealing her phone. And partly because...wow. She was so gay.</p>
<p>“You know, bro, I think we’d better go refill our drinks.” Ransom said, painfully loudly.</p>
<p>“Huh? Oh! Oh, yeah!” Holster said, catching on not so quickly. “We’d better go, then.” And with the grace and subtlety of a pair of drunken elephants, they quickly left for the kitchen. </p>
<p>Lardo couldn’t help it-she groaned and prayed for God to have mercy on her soul. Chapman just laughed. “Are they always like that?” She asked, quirking an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Unfortunately.” Lardo was being completely serious, but Chapman laughed again. She had a nice laugh, Lardo thought. Loud, like you’d expect, but nice. </p>
<p>“So,” Chapman continued, with just a hint of a smile. “What do you think?”</p>
<p>“I-um-what?” Lardo knew just how dumbstruck she sounded, and she hated every moment of it. “What do you mean?”</p>
<p>“I got your text.” Chapman said, looking just a bit unsure. “You said to dress up?”</p>
<p>“Oh.” Lardo could feel every bit of heat in her body rushing to her face. Those idiots… “Oh my god. I’m so sorry. The boys...they took my phone...I had no idea…”</p>
<p>Lardo was sure that this would be the end of her, but Chapman just laughed even harder than she had before. “That’s….that’s great, really. Hilarious.” </p>
<p>“Yeah. Hilarious.” Lardo grumped, silently promising to kill them and stuff their bodies in the attic when she had the chance. “But I do think you look nice.” She said, then immediately regretted it. How stupid did that sound? “I mean...you always look nice.”<em>Shit. Just stop. Please.</em></p>
<p>Chapman just smiled at her, and Lardo wanted to sink into the floor. “Well, I did dress up for you.” She winked, and Lardo</p><p><em>seriously</em> considered if sinking into the floor was possible. “I like this.” She plucked at her flannel. “Kinda soft butch. It’s cute.”</p>
<p>“Uh…” Lardo had no idea how to respond to that. Was it a compliment? It sounded like a compliment. “Thanks.”</p>
<p>“So, are you gonna ask me to dance or not?” Chapman asked, and she had another moment of pure fear. </p>
<p>“You? Want to dance? With me?” Lardo blinked. She had heard what Chapman said, but somewhere between her ears and her brain the message had gotten lost somewhere. Sure, she had danced at parties before, but never with a girl.</p>
<p>“Well, I didn’t come here so we could stare at each other all night, but if you’d rather do that…” Chapman grinned, grabbing her hand and pulling her out onto the dance floor before she could say something else stupid.</p>
<p>But as soon as they were in the middle of it, the song changed to something slower. Chapman laughed. “Oh, of course it would.” Her grin turned into more of a grimace. “I hate slow dancing.”</p>
<p>Lardo stopped to listen. She recognized this song. It was one of her favorites. “I like it.” She hoped she wasn’t blushing. “The song, I mean.”</p>
<p>Chapman paused to listen for a few moments, then smiled back at her. “I think I like it too.”</p>
<p>Okay, so if she wasn’t blushing before, she was definitely blushing when Chapman put one arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “I’m not good at slow dancing either.” Lardo tried to say, but it came out as more of a stuttering mess. </p>
<p>“That’s okay. We’ll suck together.” Chapman promised, and Lardo couldn’t help laughing a little. This...this was okay. “I can see why you like it, by the way,” She muttered, leaning in closer. “But I think I’ve been doing most of the flirting.”</p>
<p>“Wh-what?” Lardo stammered. “I mean...it’s just….” She gave up, shoulders slumped. “I guess it’s just not in my skillset.”</p>
<p>Chapman laughed softly. “Well, you’re lucky I’m so talented.” She added with a wink.</p>
<p>
  <em>Isn’t this why we came?<br/>
Gotta get with you</em>
</p>
<p>“I guess so.” Lardo said, before recovering her wits. “But don’t think that makes you better than my team. We’ll crush you next time.”</p>
<p>Chapman didn’t seem at all fazed. “Whatever you say, Lardo.” She had to lean in even closer just so they could hear each other over all the music, all the noise. </p>
<p>She was so close that her hair tickled Lardo’s cheek-but she wouldn’t let that distract her. “I say we’re going to crush you in two weeks.” Lardo retorted, using her best tough-as-nails hockey manager tone.</p>
<p>“Mhm,” Chapman wasn’t even trying to fight back. She lowered her voice to a whisper. “Are you going to try to sabotage me?”</p>
<p>
  <em>I’ve been crossin’ all the lines, all the lines<br/>
Kissed your girls and made them cry</em>
</p>
<p>Lardo’s stomach tightened. “I might.” She said, in what was probably a very unconvincing tone. </p>
<p>“Mess with my head? Throw me off my game? How’re you gonna do that?” Chapman was just barely smiling. Somehow she’d gotten so close their noses were almost brushing.</p>
<p>Lardo opened her mouth to reply, but she couldn’t seem to manage to speak. Even surrounded by people, everything seemed quiet. Private. Just them and the music.</p>
<p>“Lardo?” Chapman whispered, and she decided not to answer.</p>
<p>
  <em>Isn’t this why we came?<br/>
Tell me if you feel it too!</em>
</p>
<p>Instead, Lardo rose up on her toes and kissed her. </p>
<p>The boys would’ve laughed at her-kissing a girl twice her size (an opposing team captain no less) while slow dancing to possibly the gayest song on the radio. Honestly, she wasn’t sure how it worked out so perfectly. She was just about to break apart and ask that when she realized Chapman wasn’t just hugging her; she had physically lifted her up.</p>
<p>Oh, she would never hear the end of this if the boys saw her.</p>
<p>Lardo made an incredibly embarrassing surprised squeal, pulling away from the kiss. As for pulling away from Chapman, well, she was currently stuck in her arms. “This isn’t The Notebook!” She hissed, absolutely sure her cheeks were red. “Put me down!”</p>
<p>Chapman just smirked at her, which was incredibly infuriating and not at all attractive. “But you’re too short. How am I supposed to kiss you when you’re all the way down there?”</p>
<p>“People are staring.” Lardo hissed again, although no one really seemed to care. She felt humiliated all the same. </p>
<p>“So what? They can mind their own business.” Chapman pressed their foreheads together. “I’m trying to kiss my girlfriend.”</p>
<p>It was embarrassing, and overwhelming, and totally, entirely ridiculous. But somewhere inside of her, Lardo stopped giving a shit about all of that.</p>
<p>Because fuck what they think.</p>
<p>Lardo kissed her again, and again, and they probably would’ve kept at it if something hadn’t occurred to her. (Aside from not wanting her first time making out with a girl to be in front of the entire team and/or all of the Samwell campus.)</p>
<p>Lardo actually properly pulled away this time, raising an eyebrow. “Girlfriend?”</p>
<p>Chapman blushed. It was the first time Lardo had seen her look anything but cocky, and she decided it was absolutely adorable. “I mean…” She carefully lowered Lardo back to the floor, looking a little sheepish. “Only if you want...I just figured...maybe…”</p>
<p>“Of course I want to go out with you.” Lardo said, without thinking, before the realization hit her that dating the captain of an opposing team was probably a terrible idea. “I didn’t kiss you in front of everyone so we could pretend this never happened. God, imagine the reputation I’d get.”</p>
<p>Chapman grinned widely. “Lardo the heartbreaker.”</p>
<p>“Oh, well, you know me. I do my best.” But she was horrible at playing coy, and she was already grinning just as much. </p>
<p>“So...next Friday?” Chapman took her hand again, squeezing it gently. “I’ll wine and dine you. The whole nine yards.”</p>
<p>“Oh…” Lardo was about ready to leap at the chance, when something occurred to her. “Oh, hell no! We’re going to have extra practices all week!”</p>
<p>“What? A bunch of boys are more important than your new girlfriend?” The look on her face made Lardo absolutely sure she knew what she was doing.</p>
<p>“Don’t even try to play that game with me, Chapman! I will not be sabotaged!”</p>
<p>Chapman leaned in to press a kiss to her forehead. “Billie.” She corrected.</p>
<p>Lardo sighed, and decided to let it go. Just this once. “Billie.” She echoed, smiling. </p>
<p>~~</p>
<p>
  <em>Girls like girls like boys do<br/>
Nothin’ new</em>
</p>
<p>“Boys! You better cut that shit out unless you want me to come over there and kick your ass!” Lardo shouted, leaning over the side board. Immediately the boys stopped where they stood-er, skated.</p>
<p>“Aw, c’mon, boss!” Ransom whined loudly. “We’re just havin’ a little fun!”</p>
<p>“No fun! No fun until after this game! Until after we crush them!” Lardo shouted with more ferocity than before, shaking her fist. </p>
<p>She was pulled back by an arm wrapping around her waist. “Hey, babe.”</p>
<p>“Sabotage!” Holster shrieked. “Kidnapping! Spying! Cheating!”</p>
<p>“Relax, bro.” Billie said, rolling her eyes good-naturedly. “I’m just here to check on my girlfriend.”</p>
<p>Lardo tried not to look like she was enjoying this. Because that would be completely inappropriate. “I’m working.”</p>
<p>“I know. That’s why I brought you lunch.” Billie waved the paper bag tantalizingly. “Girls who work hard gotta eat right.”</p>
<p>“Hey!” Holster complained again. “How come we don’t get lunch?”</p>
<p>“Because you don’t have benefits!” Billie shouted back.</p>
<p>Lardo took the bag, trying not to blush. “Shut up and get back to work!” She shouted at the boys, and they grudgingly went back to running drills. She turned back to Billie. “Thanks.”</p>
<p>“No problem.” Billie grinned. “So are we still on for tonight?”</p>
<p>“Are you kidding me?” Lardo shook her head. The nerve of this girl. “With how obnoxious these guys are, I’ll be here all night trying to whip them into shape.”</p>
<p>“Oh, come on,” She pouted, which was a weird look for her, all muscle and nearly six feet tall. “You can’t take some time off for your loving and attentive girlfriend?”</p>
<p>“Absolutely not.” Lardo stayed strong for about five more seconds of pouting. “Alright, fine. But don’t think you’re going to get one up on us.”</p>
<p>Billie grinned again. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” She ducked down for a brief kiss, before backing away. “Lardo.” She said, with a short nod and a quick wink.</p>
<p>Lardo tried not to smile. “Chapman.” It had become their thing, their little inside joke goodbye. She tried to act annoyed about it, but really, she’d grown to love it.</p>
<p>And everything was great.</p>
<p>Everything was perfect.</p>
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